Library Program Celebrates Beauty of Maine Public Library Art and Architecture

"Rockland Public Library" Oil painting by Alison Rector, courtesy of Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth, Maine.

Painting of Rockland Public Library

"Rockland Public Library" Oil painting by Alison Rector, courtesy of Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth, Maine.

Augusta - The late nineteenth and early twentieth centuries marked a period of rapid growth in public libraries throughout Maine. The buildings were a source of civic pride in communities, and the institutions they housed were a reflection of the growing consensus of the importance of free public access to reading materials and knowledge.

On Friday, June 13, the Maine State Library will host an evening program celebrating the beauty of Maine Public Libraries. The event will be held 6:00 to 8:00 PM and is free and open to the public.

Speakers will include Maine State Historian, Earle Shettleworth and Kirk Mohney, historian and author of Beautiful in All its Details: The Architecture of Maine?s Public Library Buildings. Monroe artist, Alison Rector will talk about her new exhibit, ?Shared Quiet,? a collection of paintings of Maine?s public library buildings.

The event is sponsored by the Friends of the Maine State Library, a nonprofit organization that works to enhance access to quality services to Maine residents through statewide library initiatives. For more information, please contact the Maine State Library at 207-287-5600.

Supporting documents

"Rockland Public Library" Oil painting by Alison Rector, courtesy of Courthouse Gallery Fine Art in Ellsworth, Maine.